A couple of CESes ago, Monster released audio products with Dr. Dre’s name attached to them, and at that time, I began to wonder if this is a trend we’d begin to see. Since then, Skull Candy has been heavily sponsoring one of my favorite hip-hop artists, Del, and at this CES, Signeo released a pair of “SOUL” headphones with Ludacris’ endorsement.
Up to this point, it seems to be just hip-hop artists that these audio companies care to partner up with, or at least name after, but “House of Marley” is a major exception. Of course, it helps that it’s being handled greatly by Bob Marley’s own family. Are products like these needed? Well, Bob Marley had believed in a better world, and his family is now trying to create it through this brand.
Monster and Signeo are releasing only headphone products with their sponsorships, but House of Marley is releasing headphones, iPod docks, ghetto blasters and so forth. The goal is to create products that are high in quality, good-looking (and have unique styling) and also are eco-friendly. At the same time, each House of Marley product sold sponsor’s the Marley family charity, 1Love.
It’s hard to gauge audio quality when in a large showroom floor with 1,000 or so other people, from what I’ve heard, the products look to have potential. I can tell you one thing… the products are some of the coolest I’ve seen to date, and that in itself might sell them to some people.
At CES, one of Bob Marley’s sons, Rohan Marley was on hand to answer questions, so if there is a need for more proof that the Marley family is actually involved, it’s this!